2018 Chrysler PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2018 Chrysler PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID has 375 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: i was passing a slow moving motor home on state road 19 ocala national forest . in the middle of my pass the engine cut off. i had enough speed to finish my pass safely and pull to the side of road. all the panel lights were flashing and the car would not restart. i called roadside assistance chrysl. ⚠️ 19 fire reports filed.
375
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
4.7x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
83 complaints- • I WAS PASSING A SLOW MOVING MOTOR HOME ON STATE ROAD 19 OCALA NATIONAL FOREST . IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PASS THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO FINISH MY PASS SAFELY AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE FLASHING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CHRYSL
- • VEHICLE UCONNECT SCREEN LOCKS ONTO FORWARD IMAGE WHILE MOVING FORWARD DOWN THE ROAD OR GOES BLACK ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO ACCESS ANY OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL OR SOS FEATURES. EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND REQUIRES VEHICLE TO BE PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED TO CLEAR.
- • I TOOK MY VAN IN FOR RECALL AND WAS FIXED ON 7/16/18 FOR CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM. EVERYDAY SINCE THE FAN COMES ON WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND CHARGING (LEVEL 2) AT A VERY HIGH NOISE LEVEL. ROLLER COASTER TYPE NOISE. YOU CAN HEAR IT ALL OVER THE HOUSE. CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO EXPLODE. N
“I WAS PASSING A SLOW MOVING MOTOR HOME ON STATE ROAD 19 OCALA NATIONAL FOREST . IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PASS THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO FINISH MY PASS SAFELY AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE FLASHING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CHRYSL”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
79 complaints- • FRONT COLLISION WARNING AND BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN THIS SAFETY MECHANISM HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING IN THE PAST. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRUCK AHEAD OF US BRAKED SUDDENLY. OUR PACIFICA REAR-ENDED THIS VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25-30MPH. NO AUDIBLE OR VISUAL FRONT COLLISION WARNING OC
- • I WAS DRIVING THE CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID 2018 COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. NO POWER STEERING, NO ELECTRONICS NO NOTHING. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE UNTIL I TALKED TO SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SAME CAR AND IT HAPPENED TO THEM 3 TIMES. MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW AND WE HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND DON'T
- • THE CAR ENGINE WAS NOT RESPONDING WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY (IN A PARKING LOT) AND ALL THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS WERE CONTINUOUSLY ON FOR 3-4 HOURS AND SECOND ROW DOORS AND TRUNK WERE NOT OPENING. THE CAR CAN NOT BE TOWED AS THE CAR WONT GO INTO NEUTRAL MODE, THE MANUAL WAY TO PUT THE CA IN NEUTRAL
“FRONT COLLISION WARNING AND BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN THIS SAFETY MECHANISM HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING IN THE PAST. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRUCK AHEAD OF US BRAKED SUDDENLY. OUR PACIFICA REAR-ENDED THIS VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25-30MPH. NO AUDIBLE OR VISUAL FRONT COLLISION WARNING OC”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
64 complaints- • I PURCHASED THE 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID IN DECEMBER 2018. IN FEBRUARY 2018 AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PIN WAS MISSING FROM THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT PHASER. THE PIN WAS NOT IN
- • WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, ON AN OVERPASS RAMP CONNECTING TWO DIFFERENT FREEWAYS, DRIVING UPHILL AROUND A BROAD TURN, THE CAR SUDDENLY BECAME NON-RESPONSIVE TO PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL OR APPLYING THE BREAKS. STEERING WAS STILL POSSIBLE. I TURNED ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND CONTINUED TO STEER T
- • I TOOK MY VAN IN FOR RECALL AND WAS FIXED ON 7/16/18 FOR CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM. EVERYDAY SINCE THE FAN COMES ON WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND CHARGING (LEVEL 2) AT A VERY HIGH NOISE LEVEL. ROLLER COASTER TYPE NOISE. YOU CAN HEAR IT ALL OVER THE HOUSE. CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO EXPLODE. N
“I PURCHASED THE 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID IN DECEMBER 2018. IN FEBRUARY 2018 AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PIN WAS MISSING FROM THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT PHASER. THE PIN WAS NOT IN”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
39 complaints- • I PURCHASED THE 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID IN DECEMBER 2018. IN FEBRUARY 2018 AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PIN WAS MISSING FROM THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT PHASER. THE PIN WAS NOT IN
- • WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THAT THE BATTERY WAS CONDITIONING. I WAS THEN LIMITED TO 45 MPH WITH VERY LITTLE ACCELERATION, AND THE A/C STOPPED WORKING. THIS WAS REPAIRED, BUT HAPPENED AGAIN THREE WEEKS LATER WHEN ABOUT TO MERGE ONTO ANOTHER HIGH
- • WITH JUST 200 MILES AND HAVING OWNED THE VEHICLE 3 WEEKS, VEHICLE LOST POWER ON FREEWAY AND MY WIFE COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE WITH CAR FULLY STALLING AND IGNITION LOCKING UP WITHIN 1/4 MILE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BUT WORKED FINE NEXT DAY. 100 MILES LATER AND ABOUT 3 WEEKS ON DIFFERENT FREEW
“I PURCHASED THE 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID IN DECEMBER 2018. IN FEBRUARY 2018 AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PIN WAS MISSING FROM THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT PHASER. THE PIN WAS NOT IN”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
35 complaints- • OUR THEATER SYSTEM HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE WE PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE 4 MONTHS AGO. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, BUT THE SOFTWARE PATCHES HAVE NOT WORKED AND HAVE CORRUPTED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. CHRYSLER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR WHAT IS CAUSING THE ISSUE. MY BRAND
- • VEHICLE UCONNECT SCREEN LOCKS ONTO FORWARD IMAGE WHILE MOVING FORWARD DOWN THE ROAD OR GOES BLACK ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO ACCESS ANY OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL OR SOS FEATURES. EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND REQUIRES VEHICLE TO BE PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED TO CLEAR.
- • WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, ON AN OVERPASS RAMP CONNECTING TWO DIFFERENT FREEWAYS, DRIVING UPHILL AROUND A BROAD TURN, THE CAR SUDDENLY BECAME NON-RESPONSIVE TO PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL OR APPLYING THE BREAKS. STEERING WAS STILL POSSIBLE. I TURNED ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND CONTINUED TO STEER T
“OUR THEATER SYSTEM HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE WE PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE 4 MONTHS AGO. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, BUT THE SOFTWARE PATCHES HAVE NOT WORKED AND HAVE CORRUPTED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. CHRYSLER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR WHAT IS CAUSING THE ISSUE. MY BRAND ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 375 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: I WAS PASSING A SLOW MOVING MOTOR HOME ON STATE ROAD 19 OCALA NATIONAL FOREST . IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PASS THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO FINISH MY PASS SAFELY AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE FLASHING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CHRYSL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS: FRONT COLLISION WARNING AND BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN THIS SAFETY MECHANISM HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING IN THE PAST. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRUCK AHEAD OF US BRAKED SUDDENLY. OUR PACIFICA REAR-ENDED THIS VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25-30MPH. NO AUDIBLE OR VISUAL FRONT COLLISION WARNING OC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: I PURCHASED THE 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID IN DECEMBER 2018. IN FEBRUARY 2018 AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PIN WAS MISSING FROM THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT PHASER. THE PIN WAS NOT IN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: I PURCHASED THE 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID IN DECEMBER 2018. IN FEBRUARY 2018 AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PIN WAS MISSING FROM THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT PHASER. THE PIN WAS NOT IN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Chrysler PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID — Year Comparison
How does 2018 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 375
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 19
- Crash reports
- 5
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
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